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This week, thousands of ghouls, goblins and bogeymen will descend on central Ohio, threatening
any mortal who rebuffs them.

No need to cower, though — unless, perhaps, you’re among the estimated 23 percent of consumers
who have yet to round up the requisite candy, costumes and decorations.

Halloween has become the United States’ second-biggest commercial holiday, trailing only
Christmas. The National Retail Federation projects that U.S. households will fork over $6.9 billion
for Halloween-related merchandise this year — almost 55 percent more than they spent on comparable
items in 2005.

While potentially fraught with anxiety, last-minute Halloween shopping doesn’t have to suck the
lifeblood from consumers’ wallets, retail experts say. In fact, if they can keep their heads,
procrastinating shoppers can come away with some devilishly good deals.

Seasonal “pop-up” stores — outlets that spring up in vacant retail space in September, then shut
down right after the holiday — will be looking to liquidate their inventories in the next few days,
so savvy shoppers should be able to find some bargains.

At this point, flexibility is the key to saving money at such stores — since many of the
most-popular costumes will be picked over, and sizes will be limited. Let’s put it this way: You’ll
likely find a better deal if you’re willing to forgo that
Duck Dynasty “Uncle Si” getup, reportedly one of this year’s must-haves, in favor of, say,
a generic vampire cape, face paint and plastic fangs.

Other advice for the patrons of pop-up outlets, courtesy of
Consumer Reports:

• “Don’t go batty.” The temporary nature of pop-ups can create a sense of excitement and
urgency. While such shops usually carry a much wider selection of Halloween merchandise than
regular, nonseasonal stores, certain items might be cheaper at the discount outlet down the
street.

• Inspect the merchandise. “That might not matter much with a $5 pair of Spock ears,” the
magazine noted, “but if you’re spending $300 on a life-size animatronic werewolf, better take a
close look before you buy.”

• Ask about returns. Many pop-ups won’t allow customers to return merchandise, especially
easy-to-damage items such as costumes and inflatables. (That animatronic werewolf might be a
different matter.) If you’re unsure, check a retailer’s policies online. Pop-up stores rely heavily
on temporary employees who may, or may not, understand any nuances in the applicable rules.

• Pay with a credit card. That way, if you don’t get what you paid for, you might be able to
dispute the charge through the card issuer. Debit cards typically give you less leverage.

• “Haunt the clearance sales. Once Halloween is over, pop-ups have to pack up all their unsold
merchandise and store it until next year. Not surprisingly, you can scare up some serious markdowns
come Nov. 1.”

And keep in mind, there’s no charge for the groan-inducing wordplay that invariably seems to
make its way into news items about Halloween spending.